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User blog:WildloughRhulain/The Quean and the Rhulain Book One- Blackrudder's Prophecy
__TOC__ Author's Notes This isn't canon timeline, it's an alternate universe crossover between more than one Redwall novel. I always wanted to see what a crossover would be like. The main idea for this was mine, but I'm not writing it alone, I have a lot of friends working as co authors. I've decided it'll be a cooperative write. I'll credit which users wrote which parts in the comment section below. 'Prologue: The Most Important Treasures' Two seasons had passed since the defeat of the wildcats. Our home, Green Isle, was once again a place of peace. Even so, that day had changed us all forever. I still had recurring dreams of the battle, of the moment I threw the star from the raft. I'd changed in those two seasons. I never let my sharkskin sling out of my sight or even from around my waist, I could never tell when I'd have to go into battle again. A bustle of activity in Holt Summerdell woke me. W''hat's going on? It's still the middle of the night. . . Are we under attack?! I grabbed a pouch of slingstones from under my pillow and made a flying dive from the right side of the bed, my heart racing. I rolled to the floor and jumped up in one fast, smooth act, slamming the double doors of a large oak cabinet open. My breastplate, javelin and coronet were stored in this cabinet; I could jump out of bed and be armored and ready for war within seconds. Whulky's voice came through my door as I yanked my javelin out.' "Queen Tiria, Aliria's having her kitts!"' As soon as I heard "kitts" I knew what was going on. Chab Streambattle's wife, Aliria, was due to have kitts, but they weren't supposed to be due until next season! Shocked completely awake, I dropped the javelin and tore across my bedroom, slamming the door open so hard that it rattled the hinges. I tore out of my quarters for the nursery, panting and cursing myself. ''If Aliria was having trouble with the birth. . . . By the fang, I wish my quarters were closer to the nursery! I unintentionally bowled my strong right paw and friend, Deedero Galedeep, over in my panic and sent her sprawling. She yelled down the hall, "The Rhulain's on her way, mates!" "Deedero, I'm sorry!" I yelled back. I started to stop and turn around, but she pointed me down the hall. "I'm all right, milady! You're needed in the nursery, I'm right behind you!" My paws moved like lightning as I ran, I couldn't remember how fast I got to the nursery. One minute I was speaking to Deedero, the next I was bursting into a crowded room, my heart hammering. The clans parted, giving me a clear path to run to the bedside. I was so panicked I don't remember much of what happened next, but I must have acted as the midwife, because I remember two tiny bodies coming out into my paws. This was my first delivery and it had gone great! "You have twins!" I gently cleaned the kitts. One boy, one girl. "They're lovely, Aliria! What are their names?" "Our son's Rydan . Chab and I weren't sure whether to name the girl Derian after my mother or not, but there's one name that means more than anything to Chab and I." Aliria looked exhausted and haggard, but was smiling. "It's yours, your Majesty. You delivered us all from the cats, from slavery and death; you delivered my babies. Her name will be Kyria , after you; the K in the beginning of her name's for your kindness." Happy tears welled in my eyes and I blushed. "Please, Aliria, ceremony and titles aren't necessary. Call me Tiria." I hugged the new ottermum. "If there's anything at all I can do to help, please let me know." Kyria yawned from her mother's arms, showing a tiny pink tongue. Rydan cooed and waved a tiny paw. Deedero smiled at the newborns. "They're little miracles!" "Tiria, could you take this little mite for me? It's kind of hard holding two squirming kitts at once right now." Aliria grinned warmly and gently passed Kyria back to me. "I'll be glad to!" I took the chair at Aliria's bedside, making sure I supported the babe's tiny head with a paw. I knew I was holding one of the most important treasures ever. I smiled lovingly at the kitt, held a pawpad over her mouth. . . she started sucking on it. Leatho Shellhound stepped into the room, watching me cradle the newborn gently. The fearsome cat slayer had tears in his eyes. I heard a low growl, saw for a moment a brief flash of anger in his eyes, and then it was gone as he nodded and placed a paw around my shoulders, staring at the babe in my arms. "Tiria. . . Tiria. . ." Leatho looked away from me, shuffling a paw. He finally gave me a snort and a wink. "Good job!" 'Chapter One: Failure' Two days later, I found Chab standing at my door in shock, crying. I let my friend in and hugged him. "Chab, what happpened?!" "O-o-one of our k-kitts. . . is d-d-dead," Chab sobbed. "It's K-Kyria. . . " Shock and grief hit me like a ton of bricks. I tore screaming from my quarters and into the Streambattle quarters two doors down with Chab hot on my rudder. "Kyria! No! I won't let you die! Get the healers!" '' Chab raced from the room in panic. The healers tore through the door a minute later and set to work. They finally stepped back, shaking their heads sadly. I scooped the kitt up. . . she was still warm. . . there was a chance! I checked Kyria's airway. . . it wasn't blocked. I started frantically pumping her tiny chest with the tip of my paw and breathing for her. Five hard, fast compressions, then a breath into her lungs. I can't remember how long I kept the cycle going. . . . The healers finally had to physically pull me away from the kitt. "Milady, we've lost her." Hearing those words shattered my heart to pieces. I threw my head back and screamed in grief at the tops of my lungs, waking every still-sleeping otter in Holt Summerdell. It was a wordless, keening wail of agony and anguish that knifed the hearts of everybeast hearing it. Before anybeast could move to stop me I'd jumped to my feet, whirled and fled the holt at a sprint, screaming to myself inside my head. I can't be around the clans right now, if they see their Rhulain break down. . . .They see me as their strong leader, I can't show weakness! Tiria, you stupid idiot, you failed her! Blindly, I stumbled through brush and over rocks, climbing to the top of the bluff that protected Holt Summerdell from the north winds. It was a long, hard climb, but grief drove me forward. Upon reaching the top I finally paused, gazing despondently out over the drop. My vision cleared enough for me to see. The sea, spanning out into eternity below me, seemed peaceful past the violent, angry waves far below. I could see the wave's break; I could feel the rhythmic thunder of the water crashing into the base of the cliff. Heaving sobs racked my body as I fell to my knees. As I went down, a heavy rain began falling, hard and driving. Though the wind was fierce, attacking me and tearing at the simple green shirt and kilt I wore like the claws of our former enemies, the wildcats, I didn't run. A jagged fork of lightning rent the darkness, connecting the heavens and Green Isle; a hot-white brilliance that crackled with wrath and seared the air with ozone. Thunder boomed out a second later, a deafening crack. I didn't flinch. It was the same sound, I imagined, my heart made when it shattered. ''"Kyriaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Another bolt of lightning slammed down into the water, this one coming so close to the cliff that it blinded me and literally raised my fur. I stood motionless, closing my eyes and waiting. I wasn't going to jump from the cliff, but I didn't care if I was hit or not either. A shadow suddenly loomed over me. . . Brantalis Skyfurrow flew down from the sky like an arrow and stood over me, braving the storm and protecting me with his wings. "Queen Tiria! What are you doing?!" "Bra-Brantalis," I sobbed. "I lost. . . a k--k-kitt!" I was speaking to my friend as though I weren't in mortal danger. "I. . . I failed. . . the c-c-clans. . . ." "Don't move! It's not safe for you to be out here!" The goose honked in panic. Another bolt struck close to the cliff, blinding him. The only thing I knew was pain when the bolt struck. . . . my whole body was on fire. . . . When Brantalis' vision cleared, I lay still under him. "Your Majesty?!" Brantalis honked in terror, looking at me. I didn't reply, he couldn't even tell if I was breathing. Had I been struck by that bolt and killed?! ''He whirled and bit my rudder with his beak, trying to get a response. I didn't move. He pecked my chest as hard as he could, once, twice. . .ten times. No response! He repeated the cycle. . . "Please, Tiria, don't die!" I finally took a ragged breath. My voice, when it finally came again, was muffled. "I c-can't go ba-back n-n-now. . ." "It's okay." *He stroked my head and neck with his bill. Looking into the sky, he honked loudly. After what seemed like seconds, another goose landed beside him. Brantalis barked an order. "Help me fly her to safety out of the weather!" The new arrival, a female goose, spoke up. "Right away!" "Brantalis, who's. . . . " I began. "Queen Tiria, take our legs and hang on! Introductions can wait until you're safe!" I obeyed, closing my eyes and hanging on tightly. The geese took flight, lifting me into the air under them. My stomach dropped at the same time my paws left the ground. ''Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down. . . . . '' Interlude- Vilaya A tall, lean figure waited in the dark. Her body was sinewy and subtly bowed from long ago traces of incest. Her fur was dark brown, like muddy ash, and a royal blue cloak was draped regally about her body. She was wild, ruthless, thirty-three if she was a day, and all sable, all killer. Vilaya Regina Skelton. The Sable Quean. And lastly, the eyes. They were a shattering dark blue with many flecks, some like the silver engraving on her steel breastplate. A killer's eyes. A ferret guard stood patiently by her side, waiting for orders. She was the Sable Quean's right paw, loyal to her alone. Her paw strayed to the bone hilt of the skinning knife she wore at her side absentmindedly. Vilaya smiled wickedly. ''Zwilt told me he was loyal to me. Zwilt the Shade, he called himself. . . he's a shade now himself, thanks to my strong right paw. '' Only the day before, Radlo had listened in while Zwilt and Vilaya had made plans to conquer Redwall Abbey. She hadn't said a word, just waited patiently. This time, the ferret broke the silence. "Milady, what are your orders?" The sable's voice was cool and distant, yet carried the note of authority. "I need more young ones." "But, Milady, where will we get more? We've already been through Mossflower. Where else is there to go? What good are slaves when they die? Treasure doesn't. And speaking of treasure, I know of an isle populated by streamdogs and riverdogs." "I'm listening. Tell me more about this place." "It's an island across the Western Sea. We could easily go there with the rest of the horde, they wouldn't stand a chance against the almighty Sable Quean. I think we should leave as soon as possible." "I see. And plenty of new slaves too. Otters tend to have lots of young ones. Tell the captains to assemble the troops. We leave tonight!" Back At Green Isle The second the geese landed near Summerdell, I fell forward like dead weight, hitting the ground face-first. I didn't move. "Queen Tiria!" All of my otters panicked. "What happened?" "She was struck by lightning!" My panicked clan mobbed me; Deedero had to fight back her own panic to get things back in order. Leatho stepped out of the panicked group, hugging me to him like he would an otterkitt. He screamed at the tops of his lungs. '"Was this a suicide attempt?"' ''A suicide attempt?! ''Deedero's heart seemed to stop. "I. . . I d-don't know. . . . " Unable to continue, she covered her face with her paws and broke down crying. "Tiriaaaaa. . . . " The kitts were all sobbing as Leatho laid me on the stretcher. "Queemarm. . . . . " Deedero screamed at the tops of her lungs.' "KOLUN!"' Banya gritted her teeth. She wanted to break down and cry like the kitts, but couldn't afford the luxury. Panic was a time-waster now, a time waster that would cost her Rhulain her life if nothing were done. "You no leave us!" The kitts hugged me. "Queemarm! We needs you!" Big Kolun, unable to control himself, burst into tears. The kitts ran to him. "Dada, what can we do?!" "P-Put her under a s-s-suicide w-watch!" Everybeast looked in the direction of the voice. Kolun wasn't able to talk, Leatho was speaking for him. "Tiria. . ." The last Shellhound stood as though in a daze now, unable to tear his gaze away from the stretcher. His voice broke. "Tiria. . . . " He fell to his knees beside the stretcher, gently running a paw over my head and staring into my face. This moment would haunt him for the rest of his life, he knew it. "Tiria, why. . . . Tiria. . ." Deedero grabbed Leatho's arm. His eyes were glazed, he let out a low growl. "Leatho! 'Leatho!" She physically shook him. The big otter jerked up, seeing Kolun glaring at him in worry. He was unable to stop crying. ''"Tiriaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"'' All around him, the kitts were hysterical. ''"Queemarm!"'' Deedero panicked and raced to me. She reached my side as Leatho threw himself over the stretcher, crying incoherently. "I swore to pro. .. . protect you from. . . from the cats! Tiria. . . . Why wasn't I hit instead of you. . . ." Deedero grabbed his arm. Leatho growled and tried to get further onto the stretcher to shield me with his body. "I'm not going to let you hurt her!" ''"Leatho, its me! I won't hurt her!"'' The words hit home. Leatho rolled off the stretcher, kissed my forehead and sat up. "D-Deedero?" He started shaking. "I can't lose her. . . I can't lose the other half of my heart. . . I ''can't!"'' "Shh . . . " Deedero wrapped the last of the Shellhounds in a hug "She'll be all right." Leatho cried into her shoulder. "I lo-love. . . . T-Tiria. . . . m-m-more than I've ever. . ." Deedero cried with him, rubbing his back ."I...I ha-had no idea. Leath...Leatho, we'll he-help her. We will!" "I'm afraid to tell. . . tell how I fe-feel. . . She's the Rhu-Rhulain, I'm an out-outlaw. . . ." "Shh...Love knows no boundaries..." "If she. . . . cr-crosses the gates, please let m-m-me go too. . . " Deedero hugged him harder, turning her head away and nodding to Zillo and Banya, who lifted the stretcher and slowly started back in the direction of the holt, followed by the kitts. She didn't call the kitts back. "She won't die." Leatho didn't hear her last words and drew a dagger as soon as she released her grip. "Tiria. . . " Kolun's eyes widened in horror upon seeing the blade. Rushing over, he pulled Leatho away, tackling him to the ground to pry the dagger out of his grasp. Leatho lay unresisting under his friend until he was physically dragged back to his feet. "I'm so sca-scared. . . I. . . I w-want to stay with her. Ple-please." "You can watch over her while she's healing." "K-Kolun, could you please keep that f-f-for me?" Leatho pointed to the dagger Kolun now held. "Yes." The last Shellhound nodded in gratitude before his words trailed off into near-incoherent sobs. "My. . . my clan's dead. . . Kolun, never thought. . . . love anyone. . . . as much as . . . her. . . . " Kolun hurriedly sheathed the blade in his belt so Leatho wasn't looking at it and helped his friend up, taking him into the holt behind the stretcher carriers. Leatho couldn't take his eyes from me. '''Please, please, don't die on me. . . .' 'Chapter Two: ' Category:Blog posts Category:Unfinished Fanfiction Category:Book Crossovers Category:Collaborative Ideas Category:The Quean and the Rhulain